Jorad Mace
"Many men are sworn by the sword, but few are able live by it. Syr Jorad does and have always done." — Syr Leonid Barthalomew the Revered, Champion of the Argent Dawn Syr Jorad Mace yst Gwed Ilyncu, also known as Jorad the Dolorous, Jorad the Fool, the Rover Knight and usually sarcastically, Syr Stone, is a knight of Glanmor origin and brother of the Order of the Silver Hand. He served as captain of the Kingsguard to Terenas II before the fall of Lordaeron. One of the younger generations of paladins, Mace squired for Syr Gavinrad the Dire before he was knighted at the age of twenty. Like most of his generation, Mace did not participate in the Second War and gained renown from jousting tournaments, which he excelled in. Although considered thick and single-minded, Jorad Mace's reputation precedes him as one of the most skilled and capable warriors in his generation, and is well known for his fierce devotion to his faith and his dauntlessness in battle. He is also regarded as a knight paragon for strictly upholding the knightly code. Appearance and Character "Jorad the Lunk, they call him...... As far as I could see, he's far more decent than any of those gaudily-dressed pansies who insult him; which makes him all the more undeserving of the fate that he'd endured." — Tyrygosa, Princess of the Blue Dragonflight Standing slightly above six feet, Jorad was lean, dark and handsome, with soft amber eyes that gave him a melancholic look and brown, shoulder-length hair. He keeps a closely cropped beard and spoke with a gruff, raspy voice, making him seem older than his actual age. Soft-spoken, quiet and brooding, Jorad preferred a good book and a serene garden over the extravagant banquets of the upper class. However, he was a great jouster and enjoyed tournaments, and was an extremely skilled fighter and knight, defeating Florian Messiner in the Kul'Tiras Tournament of 18. Uther didn't think he was a better warrior than jouster, but Prince Arthas thought otherwise, regarding him as the "best amongst them". His skills with the sword and warhammer are famous, but was phenomenal with the bow, and takes pleasure in hunting. Jorad was the epitome of the good knight: he seldom drink or smoke, valued honor and fought with valor, and was brave and loyal. However, he was dull-headed and stubborn, and did not take in advice easily. He also had a weakness for beautiful women, but was not a womanizer. Jorad wore a gold-rimmed suit of jet-black armor with enameled scaled sleeves and a golden lion's head on the breastplate, finished with a wine-red cape of the finest silk. His helm had narrow eye slits and was decorated with a black dragon with its wings spread, with small red rubies as its eyes; a large piece of enchanted jade adorns the crown of his helm, which is said to shine when the undead are close. He carried Demonsbane, a bloodsteel bastard sword, on one side and a mace on the other, both hung from a smokey black leather belt with golden buckles. Alternatively he also wears an ebony leather jack and a tunic of chainmail over a robe of scarlet, with a grey hooded cloak and black leather gauntlets. A quiver of arrows and a dagger is carried at the hip and his birchwood longbow is slung over his back. History Early Life Jorad Mace was born in 12 BDP to Baron Godefrey of House Mace, a minor noble family of Gwed Ilyncu. He had a younger sister, Sylvia, whom he loved dearly, as their mother had died when giving birth. He had a rough upbringing, for their family was poor and his father, a former knight, started training him at the age of four in the arts of combat so that he could become a knight and leave the family for a better life. His father was harsh, bitter and unforgiving. At the age of eight, Jorad was sent to Syr Gavinrad, who was a friend and former comrade of his father, as a page. Syr Gavinrad noticed his ferocity and skill in combat thus mentored him further, taking him as squire at the age of fourteen. By this time he had already been known for his excellent fighting skills, and was called the "young griffin" by General Turalyon. Mace had also developed a knack for hunting and the bow under Gavinrad, who himself was an avid falconer and huntsman. At the young age of twenty, Jorad was knighted and initiated into the Silver Hand. Along with Prince Arthas and Syr Florian Messiner, they were known as the "Lion Cubs of Lordaeron", the best of the younger generation of paladins, although Arthas regarded him as the best amongst them. The three had also formed a friendship during this period, with Jorad establishing a particular fondness for the young prince, to which many have speculated an unwholesome relationship between the two. Chosen by Terenas II personally, Jorad joined the Kingsguard at the age of twenty-three and quickly ascended to the position of captain after his predecessor died during the last days of the Second War, an outcome that many of the more experienced members were unhappy of. A challenge was issued by senior members of the Kingsguard against the young knight, plotted to defeat him in front of the king to prove his unworthiness, but consolidated Jorad's position when he fought and beat all five challengers at once instead, wielding two swords in accord, earning the applause of Terenas II, who rewarded him with a bloodsteel bastard sword which he named Demonsbane. Jorad made his greatest mark amongst the courts at the Kul'Tiras Tourney of 18, when he defeated Syr Florian Messiner, champion of four previous tourneys, at the final round. This event marked the fall out between the two, and they have not spoken since. After Jorad's rise to fame, he had requested men to pick up his sister and deliver her to the Capital City, where they had spent a more peaceful and happy period of time before the Third War. The Third War Due to his position as captain of the Kingsguard, he did not follow his prince in the defensive, despite his deep devotion to him. Thus, the young knight took the hardest blow when he witnessed with his own eyes how his friend slew the king he served faithfully and then turning on his comrades. A legendary duel ensued between the dark prince and his most loyal adherent. Though the young knight fought valiantly, he was no match against his former friend, empowered by his cursed runeblade, and was soundly bested. However, he was spared by the fallen prince, for it would be a greater torment for the valorous young knight to live in the shame that he was unable to protect his monarch and compatriots. Greatly shaken, the young knight knew he could only try to save his own; thus it became the final blow to break the man when he rode through the massacre and burning streets to his mansion, only to find Sylvia lying in the courtyard, bleeding to her death. The cruel prince had left her just enough breath to bid farewell to her beloved brother. His hometown was already in ruins when he returned hastily, his family servant had informed him that his father had sought refuge in Gilneas and that the noble families of Glanmor are no more. Disheartened, beaten and desperate, Mace escaped southward, as far as he could get away from the Scourge, eventually winding up in the Hillsbrad town of Tarren Mill, where he worked as a local mercenary and drowned his grief with alcohol, becoming a sad, bitter and coarse shadow of a man. His bitterness and self-blame had led to him losing connection with the Light, a fact that utterly destroyed him. Taking on the bow and arrow as his weapon of choice, Jorad made his name under the alias of Alfred Reimes of Reighwait, a mercenary who only takes on contracts on the undead and finishes with brutal efficiency, earning him the nickname as "Deathsbane". He had since been seen around Hillsbrad, Silverpine, the Alteracs and as far as Arathi, offering his services to civilians and generals alike, always alone and departing as soon as he receives his bounty. Close to the end of the war, when Jorad was on the hunt for a mysterious being known as the Man of Jade in Alterac, he had been attacked by a stray band of Scourge from a failed siege and was heavily injured and left for dead. He was saved by an enigmatic cloaked individual who only introduced himself as Borel, who tended to his wounds and prevented him from contacting the plague. Borel told him of a task that will find him in the near future, a task that would reconnect him with the Light, but Jorad dismissed this, stating that there is no saving him and that he should've left him to die like a proper warrior in the snow. He continued to drink off into his misery and ignored the strange individual's prediction. Borel's Task A year later, when Jorad was staying in Tarren Mill for a contract, he had overheard a group of bizarre outsiders mention the name of Borel. He later on bumped into the young peasant girl Anveena Teague while he was out hunting, the former escaping from Harkyn Grimstone's comhlan. He expressed interest in the girl's companions' knowledge of the mysterious Borel and escorted the girl back to the town, only to find it fallen to the undead forces of the lich Dar'Khan Drathir. Using his knowledge of the township to his advantage, the knight led the girl through the sewers of the town, evading the Scourge forces in the streets and taking the lich by surprise, fights through a party of undead Scourge single-handedly, freeing Tyri and Kalec, whom he recognized being blue dragons in disguise. Isolated from his forces, Dar'Khan was forced to teleport away from the battle and the rest of his forces were destroyed by Tyri, Jorad and Harkyn and his companions. Introducing himself by his name, he was recognized by the worldly Harkyn Grimstone, who referred to him as "Jorad the Lunk", the most excellent paladin of Lordaeron, although "dumb as a rock", but still, "possibly the most decent Lordaeronian still alive". Jorad offered help to Kalec and his companions, stating that they have a common goal of finding Borel and provides information on his whereabouts, remembering the elusive old man instructing him to find him at Aerie Peak when he is ready before bidding him farewell. During their flight over the Alterac Mountains, Jorad and his companions were attacked suddenly by a giant frost wyrm that appeared from nowhere, injuring Tyri and sending them crashing towards the valley below. Jorad awoke to find himself frozen in a block of ice, being caught in the breath of the frost wyrm, along with Tyri.Category:Lordaeronian Characters Category:Paladins Category:Knights Category:Human Characters